NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Tia

An Italian feminine name derived from the name Taziana, meaning "unknown origin".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Tia is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Tia popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #603, with 65 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2004, with 1,050 births.

This profile covers 15,569 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 6% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 16,282 living people in the UK are called Tia. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Tia ranked #603 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 65 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2004, when 1,050 girls were registered as Tia.
  • Tia ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #328 in 2023.
  • About 16,282 living people in the UK are estimated to have Tia as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#603

2024

Births in 2024

65

Latest year

Peak year

2004

1,050 births

Estimated living

16,282

2026

Meaning

What does Tia mean?

The name Tia is believed to have its origins in Spanish and Portuguese cultures. It is a shortened form of names like Antonia and Thomasia, derived from the Latin name Antonius. The name Antonius is thought to be of Etruscan origin, although its exact roots are uncertain.

In Spanish and Portuguese, the name Tia means "aunt" and is used as a term of endearment or affection. It is also a diminutive form of names like Leticia and Felicia. The name gained popularity in these regions during the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Tia can be found in the 16th century Spanish novel "La Celestina" by Fernando de Rojas. The novel features a character named Tia Claudina, who plays a pivotal role in the story.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Tia. One of the earliest was Tia of Barcelona, a 12th-century Catalan noblewoman and the wife of Count Ramon Berenguer III of Barcelona. She played a significant role in the political affairs of the region during her lifetime.

Another notable figure was Tia Pullia, a Roman woman who lived during the 1st century BC. She was the wife of Tiberius Claudius Nero and the mother of the future Roman emperor Tiberius.

In the 19th century, Tia Mowry, an American actress and singer, was born in 1978. She gained fame alongside her twin sister Tamera as the stars of the sitcom "Sister, Sister" in the 1990s.

In the world of sports, Tia Hellebaut is a notable Belgian high jumper who won multiple medals at international competitions, including gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Additionally, Tia Carrere is an American actress and former model of Spanish and Filipino descent. She is best known for her roles in films like "Wayne's World" and the TV series "Relic Hunter."

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Tia, reflecting its enduring popularity and cultural significance across various regions and time periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Tia over time

The chart below shows babies named Tia registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Tia, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 65 births in 2024, compared with 1,050 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Tia
02635257881K199620102024

Decades

Tia by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Tia was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #499 412 5
2010s #215 3,332 10
2000s #60 9,437 10
1990s #92 2,388 4

Geography

Where Tia is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Tia. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Tia ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #328 in 2023.

Northern Ireland
4
Scotland
4

Across the UK

Tia in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#638 in 2024

29 years of NRS records, 552 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#328 in 2023

25 years of NISRA records, 258 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Tia

  • Tia Primmer

    association football player

    English footballer

    2004-

  • Tia Sharp

    Child murder (2000-2012)

    2000-2012

  • Tia Freeman

    basketball player

    English basketball player (born 2000)

    2000-

  • Tia Noakes

    actor; child actor

    British actress

    2000-

Related

Names similar to Tia

FAQ

Tia: questions and answers

How popular is the name Tia in the UK right now?

In 2024, Tia was ranked #603 for girls in England and Wales, with 65 births registered.

When was Tia most popular?

The peak year on record was 2004, with 1,050 babies registered as Tia in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Tia?

An Italian feminine name derived from the name Taziana, meaning "unknown origin".

How many people are called Tia in the UK?

A total of 15,569 babies have been registered as Tia across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 552 more in Scotland and 258 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Tia most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Tia ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #328 in 2023. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.